


A Washed-Up Water Gem

by AnywayHeresTheGardenWall



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series, Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Cutesy stuff, Fluff, Gen, Is G a reasonable rating for this even, It's not really a thing ahaha, Older Sister Lapis, Oops, You know. Luke and Flora are just implied., this is really self indulgent now that I think about it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-04-29 21:09:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5142533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnywayHeresTheGardenWall/pseuds/AnywayHeresTheGardenWall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The only thing Lapis wanted to do was protect Steven and Beach City. She hadn't expected the storm that she caused to sweep her far away from there, to someplace across the sea…</p><p>Upon being found washed up on the banks of the Thames River, she is taken in by an odd professor and his apprentice, and gets swept up in far more than her storm.</p><p>She didn't exactly sign up for puzzle solving, but this works too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. London?

Her bare feet slammed against the pavement, leaving little pitter-patters in her wake. She had to run, she had to stay ahead of them…! The girl’s blue hair swung in front of her face, but she brushed it away quickly and continued her wild sprint to get away from them. Now, just who were they?

From what she could see of these people, they were just some thugs looking for something. And they had weapons…

Any other day, she could take these clowns with both hands tied behind her back. However, something was wrong. She was weakened, she couldn't use her power. Without her powers, she was rendered helpless. But she could still run.

Her tattered skirt rising up around her in a flowing motion, she rounded a corner, slipping a bit and scraping her knee on the pavement. She wasn't down for long, however, as she quickly hopped back to her feet and bolted off again. Her physical form couldn't take much more of this. But the girl would run for as long as she needed to to get away from these creeps.

As she continued to flee, she tried to think back on the events that had gotten her in this situation. She remembered a storm, lots of rain, savage seas… And then she was waking up on the shores of this filthy river that wound through a gigantic city. Soon after, she was found by these two criminals with ill intentions, and here she was. She was going to get away from them. They couldn't chase her forever.

And they didn't, of course. Having gained enough ground, she allowed her pace to slow, glancing around to find herself injured, weak, exhausted, and alone. The area around was silent, mainly due to it being so late at night. She could tell by the darkness of the sky… But oh, how she missed the view of the stars.

She was so tired. Her feet scuffed against the ground, and her knee stung. Sighing, she realized just how sore she was, and on top of that, she was _very_ dehydrated. It was almost as if she had been put in a furnace and then tossed around like a rag doll. Everything hurt.

Scanning the nearby housing for some sign of possible help, she blinked in surprise when she spotted a single light on in one of the windows of a home. Maybe whoever was there could help her. Worst case scenarios sprung up in her mind due to habit, but she pushed them down in an attempt to relax. Dizziness blossomed behind her eyes and she swayed on her way to the front door. She was going to pass out soon.

Weakly yet firmly, she rapped her knuckles on the door, leaning on the door’s frame to stay upright for a few moments longer. After the sound of shuffling steps behind the door, it opened, and she squinted through the sudden light to try to see who answered her call.

“Can I help you?”

She barely registered the sentence as her eyes focused on the top hat this man was wearing. How classy…

“Help…” The girl barely whispered before she fell unconscious and dropped like a rock.

Well, in a way, Lapis Lazuli _is_ a rock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole thing will be pre-Unwound Future. I have no idea where it takes place for Lapis. I'm making this up as I go.
> 
> So, sorry ladies, no Clive.


	2. Lectures

Early the next morning, a young tawny-haired boy with obvious bed head shuffled down the stairs of that particular house with a yawn. He was completely unaware of the previous night’s events, having slept through the whole of the happenings. After all, his caretaker hadn't seen the need to awaken the other members of the household when the strange girl appeared. He figured it could wait until morning.

However, it didn't stop the boy from freezing in shock when he saw the girl lying passed out on the couch with a thin blanket over her. His mouth dropped open and he simply stared at her dirtied face and matted hair. He gazed a moment longer before his caretaker and the girl's rescuer strode into the room, carrying a tea tray.

“Good morning, Luke. Did you sleep well?”

Luke turned his stunned gaze to the man. “G-good morning, Professor… Wh-who is this...?”

The Professor seated himself on the couch and placed the tray on the coffee table before answering. “Well, I have to admit that I don't know. She simply showed up on our doorstep last night and collapsed.”

Blinking, Luke’s eyes traveled back to the young woman on the couch. “She just passed out? She didn't say anything?” He questioned curiously.

“She did, as a matter of fact, but it was said so quietly that I couldn't quite catch it.” Came the Professor’s answer.

“Oh…” Luke sounded a bit disappointed, but switched to a more caring, gentle side as he stepped closer to the couch to peer at her. “Was… Was she hurt…?”

“I believe so. But I don't want to overstep any boundaries, so I bandaged the few cuts she had as well as cleaning up and dressing the gash I found on her leg. I was going to request that Flora help clean her up further once she comes down…”

As if on cue, said girl slid down the stair rail, still in her nightdress but somehow wide awake. “Good morning, Profess-” Flora’s friendly smile turned into a questioning look as she spotted the girl on the couch. “...what's going on?”

“This young lady collapsed on our doorstep late last night while I prepared for my lecture. I decided to care for her until she says otherwise. Would you like some tea?”

“I see.” Flora turned a worried glance towards the girl, then Luke, then the Professor and back. “I would like some tea.”

“M-me too!” Luke piped up. “I would also like some tea!”

Chuckling, the Professor filled their orders and gave them each a steaming cup of tea. “Luke, take one of the chairs from the dining room table so you have somewhere to sit.”

Luke huffed. “You could have told me that _before_ I took the tea…” He whined, placing the cup on the coffee table and scampering off.

Flora covered her mouth with one hand to hide her grin at Luke’s complaints. No, she wasn't being ladylike and he wasn't being gentlemanly, but she still found the antics quite amusing and couldn't help herself. However, while Luke was out, she figured she might as well ask some questions about the girl they were now tasked with caring for. She seated herself on the couch next to the Professor.

“So, what happened, Professor? How did she just show up on our doorstep? Do you think that someone hurt her?”

“Now, Flora. We mustn't make assumptions, nor jump to conclusions. But I suppose theorizing wouldn't hurt.” He brought a hand to his mouth in the pondering gesture he so often did as Luke shuffled back in with chair in hand. There was a pause as the boy settled himself and Layton sat in quiet consideration.

“Well,” the Professor finally spoke. “Assuming she was exhausted from some sort of physical activity, she must have been running when her leg was injured. Perhaps she slipped and fell in an attempt to get away from something.”

Placing her teacup on the coffee table, Flora approached the unconscious female on the couch. Not wanting to pry too much, yet still letting curiosity get the best of her, she gently lifted bit of the blanket to get a look at the girl’s upper half. A quick once-over confirmed bruises and cuts decorating her arms, as well as what appeared to be smudges of dirt or mud.

Luke hopped up, nearly spilling his tea. “Professor! She's hurt all over! What event caused something like that?”

Shushing the boy gently, the Professor motioned for Luke and Flora to take their seats, to which they quickly obliged. “Now, Luke, Flora, none of us actually know what happened. So all of this is just mere speculation until proven otherwise. We can get a proper story when she regains consciousness.”

Running a finger along the edge of his teacup, Luke gazed down into the warm liquid. “How long do you think it will be until then, professor?”

There was another pause. “Luke, my boy, I admit I do not know.”

\---------

“Remember, if she regains consciousness while I’m out, you two must look after her. I'm trusting you with a very important task.”

“But, Professor…” Luke shuffled uncomfortably, now fully dressed and nervous about being left behind. “Are you sure it's alright to leave us alone with her?”

Flora reached out and rubbed his shoulder in a comforting motion. “There's no need to worry, Luke. I'm sure we'll be fine!” Luke grumbled a small “I’m not worried…” but Flora ignored him and pressed on. “And the Professor wouldn't leave us alone if he thought we couldn't handle it, right?” She looked at the man for confirmation.

He rubbed his fingers along the brim of his top hat. “Indeed. Now, I mustn't miss my lecture. I’ll be back soon.”

And with that, Luke and Flora were left alone with this strange young woman.

Luke paced around the living room, a contemplative look on his face while Flora read one of the Professor’s books on ancient civilizations. After some time doing this, Flora glanced up from her book to direct a fierce gaze at Luke.

“You know, it's not wrong to sit and relax or even solve a puzzle.”

“I can't just sit and relax.” Luke pouted at her. “Not while there’s investigating to be done! And the real puzzle is how this girl came to our doorstep in need of help.”

Flora rolled her eyes. “We don't have any clues. We'll have to wait until she wakes up.”

Whirling on his heel, he turned to face her. “Help me out a little, Flora! And remember, we could always examine her injuries.” He paused. “...didn't the Professor ask you to clean her up, anyway?”

She huffed. “Fine, fine. But you have to give her some privacy! Go fetch me a bowl of warm water, some bandages, and a washcloth. After that, while I'm doing this, could you start on lunch?”

Luke wrung his hands. “Why do _I_ have to do _everything_?” He paused. “...I'll be right back with those things.” As he left the room, Flora could hear him muttering to himself, “A true gentleman always helps a lady, a true gentleman always helps a lady…”

Chuckling, Flora turned her attention to the girl on the couch. Having moved to kneel next to her, Flora could now see the little features and injuries the female had. Her face was freckled, but most of her freckles were obscured by dirt. That's where Flora decided to start.

“Luke?” She called, turning her gaze to the doorway leading to the kitchen. He was probably over by the sink, so she couldn't see him. “Do you need any help?”

“I've got it!” There was a pause, and the sound of water running before she heard a small hiss of pain.

“Ow ow ow! Too hot! Too hot!”

Unable to hold back a laugh, Flora hopped to her feet to join Luke in the kitchen. As funny as it was, he still might have hurt himself, and she _was_ the elder one.

“Are you okay?” Flora looked him over, a concerned look on her face. She reached for the hand he cradled to his chest. “Did you burn yourself?”

“I'm fine.” Luke pouted at her. “I just… The water was too hot.”

“Run it under some cool water. It'll feel better.”

“But what about-”

“We can get it later. Run some cool water over your hand.”

Albeit somewhat reluctantly, Luke complied. “...I don't need you to baby me, Flora.”

“I'm not babying you. Stop complaining… And stop squirming, too. I can't get a good look at your hand if you don't let me hold it.”

“I can take care of myself! I know how to treat a burn!” Luke was simply whining for the sake of whining at this point.

Flora rolled her eyes again as she gently dried off the other’s injury. “There. You didn't even burn yourself that badly. You're fine.”

Biting his lip and reminding himself of gentlemanly behaviors, Luke attempted to compose himself. “...thank you. Now, can we get back to caring for the girl on our couch?”

“Sure. But I’ll handle the warm water this time, okay?” Maybe Flora sounded a little too smug about that, since Luke definitely looked like he wanted to protest. He thought better of it, however, as he whirled on his heel and set off to grab bandages.

It didn't take much longer for the two of them to gather the remaining necessary items, and soon Flora was setting to work gently cleaning off the girl’s visible injuries. Luke had obliged to making lunch, with some complaint. He almost instantly agreed when Flora mentioned that she could always do it. But, from past experience, Luke had learned that it was better to keep Flora out of the kitchen.

He didn't want a repeat of the fish-cake fiasco.

Flora frowned at her work. While she wouldn't tell Luke, she was genuinely concerned for this girl. How had she gotten all these injuries? Luke had a point when he said it was a puzzle. But it was quite formidable, and there were no hints to help them divulge the answer.

She was so focused on her work that Flora jumped with a surprised gasp when the girl moved a little on her own. Staring, Flora stood totally still for a moment to see if the other female had finally regained consciousness. A bit more movement in the girl’s face and shoulders confirmed her suspicion, and she jumped up to retrieve Luke as the girl’s eyes opened.

\---------

Lapis was definitely sore. When she finally felt herself become aware again, an ache ran up and down her limbs, settling dully in her lower back and shoulders. It was a miracle her physical form had even survived this long, but somehow it had held through all the injuries and trials. Was _this_ what it felt like after you fall asleep? If that was the case, she _never_ wanted to do that again.

She opened her eyes, blearily trying to focus on where she was. Everything was fuzzy for a moment before her vision started to clear, and she could see the open, orderly living room she had been placed in.

Unfortunately, she happened to glance around the room at the same moment two children burst in, leading her to jump up in surprise.

Not exactly the smartest option, since it caused the majority of her muscles to cramp up in pain.

“See, Luke? She's awake!” The girl stated excitedly, her chocolate brown ponytail swaying.

“Flora, we startled her half to death.” ‘Luke’ scolded the other, sending a pointed look at her while adjusting his blue cap. He turned to look at Lapis, a much softer look on his face. “I'm sorry that we scared you. We didn't mean to.”

Lapis stared for a moment before regaining her senses and calming her frazzled nerves. “Y-yeah, it's o-okay.” She managed to stutter out.

‘Flora’ looked at her with concern. “Are you feeling alright?”

These people spoke funny. Well, they didn't say odd things, but they certainly had different pronunciation. It also occurred to her that neither of these people resembled the top-hatted man she had seen earlier, but she filed that thought for later.

“Define ‘alright’... Because honestly, I feel like I’ve been beaten with a club.” Lapis tried to be humorous.

It wasn't exactly the correct analogy to use, as Luke suddenly looked more worried than ever. “Were you beaten with a club…?” His voice sounded frightened.

Lapis held up her hands. “No, not at all! Sorry, it was a simile… I didn't mean literally.”

Luke gave a small sigh of relief. “Oh.”

Flora cleared her throat. “I'm sorry, but I don't believe we’ve properly introduced ourselves. I'm Flora.”

“And I’m Luke!” The boy piped up, tipping his cap’s brim. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss…”

“Oh, Lazuli.” Lapis smiled gently, already becoming accustomed to this new place. “I'm Lapis Lazuli.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told myself I would update this at 50 hits, but a friend of mine kicked my butt into gear to finish this chapter. Thanks, Hakki.


	3. Backstory, Backstory, Backstory

Flora tilted her head a little. "Lapis Lazuli? You have such a pretty name."

"Th-thank you." Lapis stuttered, feeling her face heat up. "Though, I'll admit that this is the first time someone has complimented my name."

Luke looked surprised, sitting on the dining chair that had been left by the coffee table. "But your name is so unusual, Miss Lazuli! Isn't it a kind of gemstone?"

"P-please," Lapis smiled sheepishly at him. "Call me Lapis. And, honestly, it might be. I've never had much interest in gemstones." While it wasn't really a lie- Lapis had never thought that plain rocks from earth were exciting- she wasn't exactly telling the entire truth. And while she had noticed the odd change in her own skin tone (it had always been blue, but now it was tan with small darker flecks everywhere), she didn't comment on it. Better to not worry these seemingly-normal people, and she didn't see the need to fuss right now.

"Alright, Lapis." Luke grinned. "Would you like some tea? Or water? Is there anything I can get you?"

Why were they so fussy over her? "I'm fine, really." Lapis insisted. "I had a bit of a beating, but I'll heal. Although... I wouldn't mind something warm to drink." It was colder here than in Beach City, after all.

"Tea, then? I could make you some of my favorite! It's delicious!"

She gave the boy a small nod. "Tea it is then."

As he ran out to fill her order, Lapis turned her gaze to Flora. It was a chance to get some info on what her current situation was. Lapis actually had no idea.

"So. Um... Where am I?"

Flora blinked her big eyes in surprise. "You mean, you don't know?"

Shaking her head, Lapis smiled somewhat nervously.

"We are in London, in the heart of England. This is the flat of the great Professor Layton! He's the man who found you earlier... He's away teaching right now."

Lapis blinked, taking the chance to look out the window behind her. England? She had heard Steven talking about it before... Had she really been washed up all the way over here?

"Um... Miss Lazuli?"

Flora's voice brought her back into awareness, and Lapis quickly snapped back to look at the girl.

"Ah, sorry. I zoned out there."

Eyebrows furrowing, Flora seated herself in the dining room chair Luke had left near the couch.

"...Miss Lazuli, what exactly happened that led to you being here?"

Lapis fell silent, looking down at her bandaged hands. She hadn't even noticed that she had been patched up... Maybe that's why she wasn't as sore. But all of that aside...

"I woke up on the shores of the river. You know, it's a ways away, but..."

"You mean... You ran all the way here from the Thames? In your state!?" Flora looked shocked and almost horrified.

Running her fingers through her cerulean hair, Lapis tried to wave it off. "I wasn't like this when I first woke up!" She lied. "I got hurt while I was running away from some creeps, is all." At least that part WASN'T a lie.

Even though Flora looked unsure and suspicious, she accepted the answer. "Alright..."

"Flora!" Luke called from the kitchen, sounding anxious. "Can you help me heat the water?"

Remembering the escapade earlier, Flora quickly stood. "I'm coming, Luke!" She was about to run to join the boy, but she paused and glanced at Lapis uncertainly. "Do you mind if I...?"

Quickly realizing what she meant, Lapis shook her head. "No, no! Not at all!"

The brunette flashed a smile before disappearing into the other room.

Lapis couldn't quite hear their chatter, and quite frankly, she wasn't really listening. Her careful gaze had focused on inspecting every part of the room- possible exits, weapons, sources of water... Call it a side effect of being a mirror for so long. And even though she had been free for quite some time, her mind still traveled to observation. She was kind of glad for the interruption, as well. Flora and Luke seemed like awfully questioning people, after all, and she didn't feel like now was a good time to try to explain her situation.

_Speaking of..._

As quietly as she could, Lapis slid the blanket off and stepped onto the wooden floor. Her sore legs protested the movement, but she persisted with moving softly to the front door. Thankfully, the place was well-taken care of, so the creaky floorboards were few and far between. Inwardly, she was sad that she planned on leaving so soon, but...

She couldn't impose on these people. She had to get back to Beach City, and she didn't have time to explain how alien she really was! The gem closed her eyes for a moment before sliding the door open and preparing to step outside.

...only to come to a halt when a man in a top hat stood in front of the door. He had paused to arrange a stack of letters in his hands, but he looked up in surprise at her sudden appearance. This surprise was quickly replaced with a smile.

"Ah, you're up and about! I was wondering when you would regain consciousness." He actually... sounded worried about her. "Are you feeling alright? You took quite a nasty fall."

Lapis looked down, cheeks burning with embarrassment. Why was she so upset about being caught? Maybe it was because he was _actually worried about her_. The only person who had ever worried about her was Steven... And she was about to run off on these people.

"Are you quite alright, young lady?" Lapis recoiled a little as he bent over and reached for her face, to wipe away something from her cheek. Wait... This man was wiping away tears that she hadn't known that she had shed. 

"I-I..." Why was she crying? Sniffling, she swiped at them with her palm, much like an upset child would. Steven was definitely rubbing off on her. "I'm f-fine. I'm sorry." While her voice was shaky, it held some firmness that it had lacked earlier.

He smiled warmly at her. "Alright. Now please hurry on inside. You're in no state to be travelling."

Somewhat dazed, Lapis allowed herself to be shooed back into the house, shakily limping back to the couch (she hadn't even noticed her limp earlier). Surprisingly, neither Flora or Luke had decided to go back in the living room, so they did not see the gem try to leave. The taller male seated himself on the couch across from her, placing the letters on the coffee table and adjusting his hat.

"I do hope you'll pardon my rudeness, as it completely slipped my mind that I hadn't introduced myself. My name is Professor Hershel Layton." He tipped his somewhat worn accessory and smiled. "It was I who found you on my doorstep late last night. You collapsed almost as soon as I opened the door."

Lapis nodded a little. "I-I... I'm Lapis Lazuli. Thank you for helping me."

"It was my pleasure, Miss Lazuli."

"Oh, welcome back Professor!" Luke finally reappeared, Flora at his side and a tea tray in his hands. "Did your lecture run short today?"

"Not quite, Luke, but I will say..."

By this point, Lapis had mentally tuned out. Why had she started crying? It just didn't make much sense to her. No matter how much she thought about it, the dots just wouldn't connect. To be fair, it wasn't really logical to dwell on it so much.

"Lapis? Lapis?"

"Miss Lazuli?"

For the second time, Lapis is jerked out of her thoughts, this time by Luke offering her a cup of herbal tea. Apologizing fervently, she accepted the teacup and clutched it to warm her suddenly cold hands. "Thank you."

Flora had joined them and was currently relaying what had happened to the Professor. She also seemed to be engaging happily with questioning her father figure on what he had been lecturing on, with Luke even joining in. But, surprisingly, he did not sit down.

Suddenly, there seemed to be a lull in conversation as Luke noticed something strange.

"Um... Miss Lazuli?"

She looked up and gave him a confused hum. He reached out slowly, and she stiffened as his fingers brushed something on her back...

_Her gem._

"What's _this_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having problems with length, I'm so sorry.  
> that and I'm writing for this AS WELL as my other fic. This was a mistake.
> 
> (one last note: her skin tone change WILL be explained, really, I promise)


	4. Human

Lapis moved away from Luke’s touch nervously, trying to avoid looking at any of the others in the room. It was a difficult task with Luke’s curiosity getting the better of him and causing him to try to look closer at the stone on her back.

 

“Miss Lazuli, please stop moving! I just want to see what it is!”

 

“You  _ can’t _ !” With this outcry, Lapis whirled to face Luke, locking him in her rather intimidating blue-eyed gaze. Freezing, he took a step back in slight shock. But he very easily realized why she didn’t want them to see.

 

She was scared.

 

Sympathy furrowing his brow, Luke turned to the professor, a plea for assistance in his eyes. The man cautiously complied, quietly sipping his tea before speaking.

 

“Lapis. Lapis Lazuli.” The Professor softly voiced her name, causing her to glance over at him. “It is a rather unusual name. Perhaps… it has something to do with that strange thing that you are insistent on hiding?”

 

Guilt flooding her expression, Lapis looked down. She noticed that the teacup she had held was shattered on the floor. These people had helped her, and she had shouted at them and broken something that was theirs… Surely they wouldn’t… try to hurt her? Not for information, at least?

 

“Perhaps.” She spoke carefully and slowly, painfully aware that all eyes were on her. “Perhaps it does. I… I’m just…” Clutching her hand into a fist, she didn’t see the harm in letting them know who and what she really was. Gems invaded earth who knows how many eons ago… did these people still not know about the gems? Maybe it was a good idea to enlighten them.

 

"I don't mind... It's only natural you would ask." Taking a deep breath, she turned in such a way that exposed the gem on her back to the three present. "This... Is a gem. It's hard to explain, but... It's basically a part of me. It's what allows me to be here, I guess… I’m a Lapis. One of however many are left. And that… the thing on my back… Is me. It’s my gemstone.”   
  
Lapis pulled the blanket around her shoulders and turned her back to the couch cushions behind her.   
  
Flora chewed on a fingernail. "So... Does it... give you powers?"   
  
The gem nodded. "In a way, I suppose. Hey, um... Luke? Could you get me a bowl?"   
  
"Why?" He asked before Flora's look silenced him. The boy didn't protest as he rushed to the kitchen to fulfill her request.

 

Looking down, Lapis ran a hand through her messy hair.  _ Deep breaths _ , she reminded herself.  _ These people aren't going to hurt you. Deep breaths. _

 

Did gems need lungs? No. Did Lapis prefer to have them because they helped her feel grounded? Absolutely.

 

Luke soon came back with the bowl looking rather uncertain and confused. She supposed it was a reasonable reaction.

 

“Now, just… Please don't freak out.”

 

Exhaling, the water maiden held out her hand, focusing on the tea she had spilled earlier. It wasn't water, but that didn't matter, right?

 

When she raised her arm, the liquid rose with it, forming tiny, floating droplets that glittered in the light. They looked almost like those little glass beads Steven sometimes used in bracelets. At Lapis’ command, they floated through the air and into the waiting bowl, pooling together when gravity once again affected them.

 

Luke looked shocked, and Flora had a hand over her mouth as her eyes blinked in awe. The Professor, however, had the calmest reaction that the gem had ever seen to this kind of thing. He simply nodded thoughtfully, with a smile on his face.

 

“That is a rather impressive and unusual feat. I can understand why you'd be reluctant to share such information. But please, Miss Lazuli, allow me to ease your fear.” He smiled at her. “We will not do anything to hurt you. We would like to help you in any way possible. Isn't that right, Luke?”

 

When he turned to the boy expectantly, Luke shook his head to clear it of surprise. “R-right you are, Professor! I may not know much about you, Miss Lazuli, but I would like to be of assistance where I can!”

 

“Me as well.” Flora seemed to have recovered as well. Perhaps their level-headed caretaker had a part in that. “I find you as a rather amazing person. I would like to be friends with you.”

  
“Friends?” She paused. Steven was her only friend. Maybe… It was time to change that. “I… Perhaps I can be friends with all of you. I would like that very much.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh this is short. But I felt I owed something to wrap it up. There will be more, this is NOT where it ends!! But I HAD to finish that cliffhanger after leaving this thing for 6 MONTHS. Sorry about the wait. I love you guys!


End file.
